The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-12-17
ROBERT T. LINCOLN ON THE ISSUE"

the Chicago Journal, Robert T. Lincoln Is
reported as admitting that he had neither
read the Presidents message or MIR.
Blaines late screed, yet he has the cheek
to say, "in a general way" that
81 think Judge Cation, who Is a good Old
democrat, expressed the whole gist OF the
matter In nutshell In little article saw
published as comlsg from him, when he
said that he thought II would be good
thing to have the Presidents views put In
to effect, because II would result In the
closing up Of every manufacturing estab.
lishment In the country within year, and
would thereby effectually settle the dis
pute between capital and labor. l think
that that, coming from good old demo-
crat, Is a very fcrcible description OF the
present political situation While | do not
agree with Judge Cation that that would be
a good thing TO do, am strongly inclined
to believe that were the Presidents views
to be given practical effect II would have
that unfortunate result"
We have not been able to find the "little
article" of Judge Cation here referred TO-,
and have grave doubts of Its existence ;
but If Judge Cation had said what is here
attributed 10 him he would have said and
he denies over his signature In the Jour-
nal that he did say what is attributed him
what is both very foolish and untrue; and
Mr.. Lincoln, In so unqualified. D. orsing
him, at the same time admitting that he
knows nothing of what he Is talking about,
has, to put 1t mildly, made great a
noodle of himself.
This whole hullabaloo about the Presi-
dents message being free trade docu-
ment and that Its recommendations, If
followed, would "close up every manufac-
turing establishment in the country" is
what Horace Greeley would have called "a
perspicuous and sublime lie,' and the
whole tariff mongering brood that so in
dustriously propagate 1t, know 1t. There
Is not q word or thought In the message
that can be honestly construed as In the re-
hottest degree hostile to single manufac-
turing interest In the country, or as other
wise than anxiously solicltous for the high
est interest and welfare of the working
people. This is the language of the Pres
ident:
II Is not proposed to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. 1t must be ex-
tensively continued as the source of the
governments income; and In readjust
ment of our tariff the interests of American
labor engaged In manufacture should be
carefully considered, as we'll as the preser-
walton Of our manufactures. 1t may be
called protection, or by any other name,
but relief from the hardships and dangers
Of our present tariff laws should be de-
vissd with especial precaution against
imperiling the existence of our msnufac.
turing interests.
Again he says:
But the reduction of taxation demanded
should be so measured as not to necessitate
or justify either the loss of employment by
the wOrkingman nor the lessening of his
wages; and the profits still remaining to
the manufacturer. after a necessary read
justment, should furnish no excuse for the
sacrifice of the interest of his employees
either In their opportunity to work or in
diminution of their compensation.
The whole plan, in short, of the Presi-
dent Is such reform and read justment of
the present tariff as shall, at the same time
that II reduces the revenue to the actual
needs of the government, also so tighten
the cost of numerous important articles of
raw material, as would relieve our manu-.
facturers "from the increased cost caused
by the tariff on such material, and thus
result In compensation to them" for any
incidental loss otherwise resulting from a
judicious reform of the tariff.
Further quotations are unnecessary. The
message Is pervaded throughout by the
same tender solicitude for the welfare of
our great industrial interests, which," he
says, constitute leading and most sub.
stantial element of our national greatness"
In short, all the President has done has
been to formulate and make democratic a
policy which has been heretofore pro.
claimed not only In all the platforms of his
own, but even largely of the republican
party,-to step tie surplus By reforming the
tariff.
In what direction that reform Is to be eff.
fected he has given but one intimation
the tariff he thinks can be removed from
the important raw material of wool, and as
the complement of that tax, largely from
imported wooden fabrics. This change,
assuming that IL may somewhat reduce
the price of wool "a wholly unnecessary
admission,) he shows would yet result in
an advantage to the wool growers in the
reduced price of clothing, &c. it would
bring them; while the wooden manufac.
turers, it is well known, are ready cheer.
fully to give up all the protection" they
derive from the tariff on imported woolens
in consideration of getting free wool
The President might have indicated the
outrageous tariff on wool and lumber, the
great Syracuse salt trust, the coppertax
monstrosity, and other like conspicuous